National Ag Day Activities Planned for March 20
By Kelly Schwalbe, AAEA PIF Chair
National Ag Day, America’s annual salute to the hard work of its farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses and sponsored by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA), is set for Tuesday, March 20. As in year’s past, a variety of activities are being planned around the country and in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the occasion.
Again this year, AAEA, through the Professional Improvement Foundation, is collaborating with NAFB and other industry groups on a special program at the National Press Club from 1-3:30 p.m. on March 20. The National Press Club program is open to all media (ag, consumer, business) and industry representatives attending the D.C.-area Ag Day activities. It includes an industry panel discussion of timely agriculture and food-related topics, presentation by the winning Ag Day essay contest winner, Charles Eastin Award presentation and, hopefully, remarks from the Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue.
Other planned Ag Day events include a possible National Ag Day proclamation and event at the White House, Capitol Hill visits by students, and a Taste of Ag reception for all media and industry attendees at the Library of Congress. AAEA members and their companies, many of which are on the ACA board, are welcome to attend and encouraged to promote National Ag Day to their respective audiences. Additional information about the D.C.-planned events, as well as information about National Ag Day, logo graphics, educational information and other materials can be found on the Ag Day website at www.agday.org.
More information about planned National Ag Day activities will be provided in a February issue of the ByLine. Again, we encourage all members to do their part in recognizing and promoting the tremendous accomplishments of America’s food producers as part of Ag Day.